Improvement in printing-presses



SfShets--Sheet No. 120,377; Y Patentedocr. 31,1871.-

UNITED STATES GEORGE P. GORDON, OF RAHWAY, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN PRINTING-PRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 120,377, dated October31, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE P. GORDON, of Rahway, Union county, NewJersey, have invented, made, and applied to use certain new and usefulImprovements in Printing-Presses; and that the following is a full,clear, and correct description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing making part of this specification, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, in which- Figure I is alongitudinal sectional view of my invention, the form-inking rollersbeing shown in contact with the vupper ink-distributing surface and thebed in position to give an impression. Fig. II is a side elevation of myinvention, the form-inking rollers being shown in contact with the lowerink-distributing surface and the impression being suspended. Fig. III isan end View of my invention, showing more particularly the meansemployed to raise the movable bearers In the drawing, like parts of theinvention are pointed out by the same letters of reference.

The nature of the present invention consists:

a) In supplying the ink to the form-inking rollers of a printing-pressby or with two ink-distributing surfaces, between which the form-rollersshall pass and receive their ink from each distributing surface in turnfor each impression. (b) In revolving in opposite directions to eachother the hiking-surfaces, placed, as shown, for the purposes more fullyhereinafter set forth. (c) In the combination of the two oppositeinkdistributing surfaces with the movable form-roller bearers, as morefully set forth.

To enable those skilled in the arts to make and use my invention, I willdescribe its construction and operation.

A shows the frame for supporting the operative parts of my improvedprinting-press, composed ofthe side and cross-pieces, secured togetherin the usual manner. B shows the drivingshaft of the machine, held inboxes in the frame A, and having upon one end the pinion O, gearing intothe cog-wheel D secured upon one end of the shaft E held in boxes in theframe A. This cogwheel E has inserted in it a stud, over which is passedone end of a connection, the opposite end of said connection beingpassed over g stud inserted in a crank-arm held upon one end of therock-shaft H passed through the rear portion of the frame A. Upon theopposite end of the shaft E is secured a crank-arm, I, provided with astuds over which is passed one end of the connection J, the opposite endof said connection being passed over a stud inserted in the crank-arm Ksecured upon one end of a rock-shaft, L, held in boxes in frame A. Uponthe rock-shaft H, on each side ofthe bed N, are secured the roller-armsO, constructed as I have heretofore constructed them, intended toreceive and carry to and fro over the form or types secured upon the bed,N the rollers to supply ink to said form or types. N shows the bed ofmy improved printing-press, hung upon a rod, P,held in the fra-lne A, sothat a vibrating movement may be imparted to the bed when desired.Through lugs in the rear of the bed is passed a rod, Q, upon which aresecured the forward ends of the toggles R. These toggles have their rearends iiattened or turned in the true are of the circle from the centerupon which they are hung, and are made of sufficient length to allowtheir ii attened ends to impin ge upon or be brought into contact, whendesired, with the surface-cams S cast or secured upon the rock-shaft Hin line with the toggles. Upon the rear end of the bed, directly beneathone of the toggles, and projecting a short distance beyond the bed, issecured a curved arm, T, intended to prevent the toggles falling belowthe desired point, while in the side of the opposite toggle is secured apin, U, the obj ect of which is more fully hereinafter explained. Vshows a cam-lever held upon a stud inserted in the side of the frame A,while its lower end has inserted in it a stud, WV, to which is securedone end of a rod, X, the opposite end of which is secured to a handle,Y, held upon a stud inserted in the forward end of the frame A. Z showsa spiral spring, one end of which is secured to the rear cross-pieceofthe frame, while its opposite end is attached to the rear end ofthebed N. This spring is employed to assist the bed, after a forwardmovement has been imparted to it, to return to its former position. Z2is a stop projecting from the cross-piece, and having a bearing upon oneof the legs of the bed N. This stop Z2 is employed to prevent the bedvibrating back too far after it has been advanced to give an impression.Upon the rock-shaft L, properly positioned for the purpose intended, aresecured the surfacecams l, and upon the sides of the frame A, directlyin advance of the rock-shaft L, are secured the inclined ways 2, inwhich move the beveled plates 3, to the upper portion of which areattached the bearers 4,-over which the inking-rollers M, held andcarried in the roller-arms O, travel in receiving their supply of inkfrom the ink-distributing surfaces. Upon the sides of these plates 3 aresecured the curved plates 5,0perated by the cams upon the rock-shaft L.6 is a saddle-piece supported upon the frame A, intended to support theink-distributing apparatus of the machine. rlhe inkin g apparatusconsists, in the present instance, of two revolving ink-distributingtables, 7 and 8, the spindle of the lower ink-distributing table 8passing through the saddle 6 about centrally, and having secured uponits lower end the disk 9, provided on its under side, near its outeredge, with a series of ratchet-teeth, with which a ratchet, 10, engages.lhe lower table 8 has cut upon yits outer edge a series of teeth, withwhich the gear-wheel 13 engages. Over the spindle ofthe lower table alsois passed the forward end of a curved arm, 11, the rear end of whichrises and has hinged or secured to it, in any convenient manner, therear end of the curved arm 12, intended to support the second or upperink-distributing table 7, the spindle of which table 7 is passed throughthe arm 12 and ispinned in position. This upper table 7 is also providedwith a series of teeth upon its outer edge, and when turned down intoposition directly above the lower table 8 the gear-wheel13 engages withthese teeth. Secured upon the forward end of an arm, 14, held upon aplate, 15, projecting from the saddle-piece 6, is the ratchet, 10,engaging with and operating the disk 9, the arm 14, to which thisratchet 10 is attached, being raised, thus giving a forward movement tothe ratchet 10 by means of a cam, 152, secured upon the rock-shaft H,and the arm 14 being weighted to secure its return movement as the cam152 is returned to its former position through the return movement oftheshaft H. 16 shows an inkslab placed over or above the upperink-distributing table 7, upon which the ink to be supplied to thetables maybe broken upas desired. Any form of platen to receive thesheet to be printed and properly7 present the same to the type may beused, the movement of the same being governed by the movements of theother parts of the press.

As the present improvements relate to improved means for suspending theimpression and to improved means for distributing the ink to be suppliedto the form-inking rollers, the following description of these parts ofthe press will be sufficient: It will be observed that as motion iscommunicated to the driving-shaft of the press the pinion gearing intothe cog-wheel through the connection causes a rocking motion to beimparted to the rock-shaft H, by which the cams secured upon the samedirectly behind the toggles, the forward ends of which are attached tothe lugs of the bed, are brought into contact with the toggles, and anadvance movement is given to the bed in which is secured the form ortypes, and the platen having been brought into the proper position andpresenting the sheet to the form an impression is given. Now, when itisdeemednecessary to prevent an impression being given by the forwardmovement of the bed the arm attached at the forward end of the frame isthrown forward, by which the connection, attached as described, is drawnback, advancing or raising the cam-lever, which, in turn, elevates thepin secured in one of the toggles, and thus the rear ends of the togglesare elevated, so that the cams upon the rock-shaft will not be broughtinto contact with these rear ends, and, as a result, no forward movementwill be given to the bed of the press. The handle being drawn back theoperation just described will be reversed, the toggles will be restoredto their former position, and upon the continued movement of therockshaft the bed will have a forward movement imparted to it, asalready set forth. That the operation of the ink-distributing surfacesmay be fully understood, we will suppose the movable bearers to havebeen depressed and the forminkin g rollers to be resting upon the lowestinkdistributing surface. These rollers (the press having been set inmotion) pass down over this 'lower surface, from which they receive asupply of ink, and down over the form or types secured in the bed,inking the same, and, having passed over the-form, reach the lowestpoint of their vibration. After the form inking rollers have passed overand off of the lower ink-distributing surfaces the cam 152 upon therock-shaft H is brought into contact with the arm 14, (upon the forwardend of which the ratchet 10 is secured,) raising the same and giving aforward movement to the ratchet 10, which ratchet engages with the teethupon the under side of the disk 9, secured upon the spindle ofthe lowerink-distributin g surface, and partially rotates thev same, by which thelower ink-distributing surface is partially rotated in turn. As the sameis partially rotated the gear-wheel 13 engages with the teeth upon thelower ink-distributing surface, and also with the teeth upon the undersideof the upper ink-distributing surface, and as this gear-wheel,through the partial rotation of the lower ink-distributing surface, isrotated in one direction, the upper ink-distributing surface is rotatedin the opposite direction. The form-inking rollers now commence theirreturn movement from the lowest point of their vibration, the bottom ofthe bed, and as they do so the crank-arm upon the shaft E, through theconnection and crank-arm, causes the shaft L to be rocked up, thesurface-cams 1 are brought into contact with the curved plates 5attached to the plates 3 supporting the bearers 4. As these cams arebrought to bear upon the curved arms the plates attached to the bearersare elevated, raising the bearers to their full eX- tent, so that as theform-inking rollers are carried over the same they are brought intocontact with the upper ink-distributing surface, receiving a supply ofink from the same. When the rollers have passed under and in contactwith this'upper ink-distributing surface they have reached the extent oftheir upward movement, and as they commence their downward movementrfi-M Jthe cams, already described, through the continued movement ofthe rock-shaft, are withdrawn from contact with the curved platesattached to the plates supporting the movable bearers, the bearers aredepressed to their full extent, and the inking-rollers are brought intocontact with and pass over the lower ink-distributing surface, fromwhich they receive a second supply of ink, which, with the ink receivedby them from the upper ink-distributing surface, is imparted by them tothe form or types. Thus it will be seen that, by the use of an upper andunder ink-distributing surface, as just described, double the inkingsurface is in constant use than if one inkingsurface were employed, andthat this is accomplished with no increased expenditure of power.

A second feature of importance in connection with the presentink-distributing apparatus is that, as the upper and lowerink-distributing surfaces are partially rotated during the time that therollers leave these surfaces and pass down and over the form or types,and return over the same to these ink surfaces and are partially rotated in opposite directions, the supply of ink received by the rollersis received first from one surface and then from the other. The ink iscross-cut upon the rollers prior to their passing over the form, thecross-cutting of the ink enhancin g the distribution.

While in the present instance I have shown two iiat surfaces upon whichthe ink is to be distributed, I do not wish to be understood asintendingto confine myself to the same, as I am well aware that two cylinders maybe supplied in the place of the tables, or that a cylinder and table maybe combined together and the same result effected. Again, the use ofmovable bearers, as shown, l do not wish to confine myself to, as thebearers might be dispensed with; and the ink-surfaces employed, insteadof being stationary, might be vibrated up and down or down and up, andthus be made to supply the forminliing rollers with ink in turn.

Having thus set forth my invention, what claim as new is l. Supplyingthe ink to the form-inking rollers by or with two ink-distributingsurfaces, between which the form -rollers shall pass and receive theirink from each distributing-surface in turn for each impression,substantially as described.

2. Revolving in opposite directions to cach other, the hiking-surfacesplaced as shown, for the purposes fully described.

3. The combination of the two opposite inkdistributing surfaces with themovable-form roller-bearers, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

GEO. l?. GORDON. i

Witnesses:

A. SIDNEY DOANE, WM. HAsrINGs. (117)

